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E-Class Sales Drop 35% in July - Lowest number in over 3 years!
The chart and info is from carsalesbase.com. In the US, only 2,200 E-class units were sold in July. That's a 35% drop from June, and that's the lowest number of E-class sales in the US in at least the last 3 1/2 years. (The chart only goes back to Jan. 2015). It's no secret demand for sedans in the US is down, but what else do you think is hurting their sales numbers? Is it the base 4-cylinder engine? High pricing? The interiors are beautiful and arguably the top of the class. I was surprised to see such a big drop. (As a comparison, the 5-series sold 3,104 units in July in the US).
Last edited by jumpman726; 08-02-2018 at 05:02 PM.
I, for one, have been trying and trying to give MBUSA my $90,000 for my E450 Cab that is rotting away at the Baltimore VPC but they just don’t seem to want my money.
But does it count as a "sale" when a customer places an order? Or is it counted once a customer takes delivery and completes the purchase? I think most people buy off the dealer lot because they don't want to wait 2-3 months for an ordered car.
Mercedes had a series of problems last month that led to a massive drop of 22 percent for the whole brand. I wouldn't read too much into one month as something major. Now if this continues then sure. Right now the 2019 models are being held up for whatever reason and on the SUV side one of their suppliers have a fire that cause production to come to a screeching halt. Then the ordering system went down for like 4-5 days so no cars could be moved. It's was a complete mess. Sales being down one month: people don't just decide "oh the interior is not right or the 4-cylinder is not powerful enough" in one particular month of a car that has been on sale for nearly 2 years now.
But does it count as a "sale" when a customer places an order? Or is it counted once a customer takes delivery and completes the purchase? I think most people buy off the dealer lot because they don't want to wait 2-3 months for an ordered car.
Mercedes-Benz records a sale when a car is invoiced to MBUSA. I imagine that MBUSA records a sale when a car is invoiced to a dealer and a dealer records a sale when the car is invoiced to an end buyer. What isn't mentioned is where along the sales chain does carsalesbase.com count a sale.
Correct. That is exactly how it works. MBUSA's sales reports are based on cars that are bought/shipped to dealers, not an actual customer. The absolute best way to track sales is via registrations, but that is hard to get so soon after the month concludes.
Correct. That is exactly how it works. MBUSA's sales reports are based on cars that are bought/shipped to dealers, not an actual customer. The absolute best way to track sales is via registrations, but that is hard to get so soon after the month concludes.
M
well if they would freaking take my money and give me my car.... they could count another sale :-)
well if they would freaking take my money and give me my car.... they could count another sale :-)
(for effect not really angry :-))
MBUSA has some problems to fix. What happened next month should have never happened. The supplier fire couldn't be helped and isn't their fault and it affected other brands too. What is the hold up on your car? What are you getting?
MBUSA has some problems to fix. What happened next month should have never happened. The supplier fire couldn't be helped and isn't their fault and it affected other brands too. What is the hold up on your car? What are you getting?
M
2019 E450 Cabriolet. Been finished and sitting in Baltimore since July 6 waiting for the stupid fall release.
Interesting that Mercedes sales are off. I was at our local Porsche dealer this past Monday to have my Porsche serviced. In talking to the people at the dealership, apparently their sales are off as well. Wonder if the entire industry is down.....or is it just "high end cars". Here is what might be happening.....although I don't profess to know for sure: Typically, in an election year, sales drop off due to uncertainty. While this is a "half cycle" year as it relates to the Presidency, there has been much talk about this election as if it was a Presidential election. I know the stock market always gets "tentative" during an election year, as everyone, and the stock market, hates uncertainty. I don't know for sure.......and am curious as well.
2019 E450 Cabriolet. Been finished and sitting in Baltimore since July 6 waiting for the stupid fall release.
Well that is normal sad to say. I think the problem arises when people know every step of the building/shipping process. When I ordered before (BMW) I just didn't get into where the car was and all that, I guess I don't see the point. It'll drive you crazy worrying about that. I only tracked it from order to after it was built, I didn't care where it sat after that, but I still got the car in the 8 weeks promised. Mercedes is likely trying to stockpile the 2019s since the dealers are pretty light now in inventory for a lot of models. Then like magic all of a sudden dealers will be chock full of 2019s all over the place. It's hilarious.
Well that is normal sad to say. I think the problem arises when people know every step of the building/shipping process. When I ordered before (BMW) I just didn't get into where the car was and all that, I guess I don't see the point. It'll drive you crazy worrying about that. I only tracked it from order to after it was built, I didn't care where it sat after that, but I still got the car in the 8 weeks promised. Mercedes is likely trying to stockpile the 2019s since the dealers are pretty light now in inventory for a lot of models. Then like magic all of a sudden dealers will be chock full of 2019s all over the place. It's hilarious.
M
I am sure they have business reasons, but it just sucks that they won’t deliver a custom-ordered car until after they’ve flooded dealers with new models.
As I've said, I’ve never found it more frustrating or difficult to hand someone $90,000 — and they don’t want it :-)
I am sure they have business reasons, but it just sucks that they won’t deliver a custom-ordered car until after they’ve flooded dealers with new models.
As I've said, I’ve never found it more frustrating or difficult to hand someone $90,000 — and they don’t want it :-)
Believe me the dealer wants it, they just don't want to get in trouble with MBUSA over circumventing the process. I'd bet the release the 2019 this month now that they're sales are tanking.
I went through the same waiting for my 2018 E300. IMO the issue arises because MBNA accepts orders far in advance of production and delivery dates. In my case I ordered the car in February 2017, it was at the VPC in late June 2017 (I'm not sure) and delivered at the end of August 2017. That was a 6 month cycle, but I was prepared for it. IIRC I was promised a July delivery.
I went through the same waiting for my 2018 E300. IMO the issue arises because MBNA accepts orders far in advance of production and delivery dates. In my case I ordered the car in February 2017, it was at the VPC in late June 2017 (I'm not sure) and delivered at the end of August 2017. That was a 6 month cycle, but I was prepared for it. IIRC I was promised a July delivery.
I wasn’t promised a July delivery but was told that unless it’s a total redesign, they usually ship them when they come in. Oh well
I am sure they have business reasons, but it just sucks that they won’t deliver a custom-ordered car until after they’ve flooded dealers with new models.
As I've said, I’ve never found it more frustrating or difficult to hand someone $90,000 — and they don’t want it :-)
You would think that other companies would be doing it too if there were good business reasons for it, but I don't see other companies building up inventories at VPCs for months... They just release the cars as they arrive.
Most import and domestic companies do this in order to ensure proper inventory. Some do it by model or across the line, but each situation is different. For one MB still imports a lot of their cars here, only the GLE, GLS and C-Class are made here so it's a process. I'll say it again, the only real problem here is knowing too much about the innards of the operations, it sets up false hope and expectations IMO. Audi is about the same, 3-4 month wait time on a custom order.
I had a really short delivery time when I ordered an E500, customized it a few days before it was built. It was built (2 weeks), shipped (3 weeks) and delivered (1 week) for a total of less than 7 weeks from custom order to delivery. The key was that it was not a new model to the US. Deliveries were already being made from the VPC.
I had a really short delivery time when I ordered an E500, customized it a few days before it was built. It was built (2 weeks), shipped (3 weeks) and delivered (1 week) for a total of less than 7 weeks from custom order to delivery. The key was that it was not a new model to the US. Deliveries were already being made from the VPC.
well if I hadn’t got complete roger’d by the new model year great hold-up, I think mine would have been pretty fast too. On may 13, I Customized a build slot my dealer already had for mid-June. Car was built on June 20. Shipped a few days later. Arrived in Baltimore on July 6.
08-02-2018, 11:13 AM
